Vehicle

2012 Dodge Journey SXT 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 6A)

Review

Do not overlook this gem when cross-shopping! The 2012 Journey hits a sweet-spot in terms of size:
Smaller than a Traverse/Highlander, but bigger than an Equinox/RAV4.
Put another way, this is the smallest CUV with a usable 3rd row (unlike the Mazda5 or Mitsu Outlander for example).
Interior quality cannot be overstated -- class-leading in many ways.
Highly versatile interior configurations, if you get the right packages (see Edmunds review).
I did my research and did not even consider the 4-cyl, especially since the mileage with the V6 is about the same!
Ride & handling are great for a vehicle this size/weight.
Mileage is right on the EPA for city/hwy.
9 months, 17k flawless miles!

Favorite Features

I have the SXT with all packages except the 8-inch Uconnect, leather/sunroof, and booster seats.
The Pentastar V6 is a must-have.
Even if you're not a leadfoot, you'll appreciate the smoothness, plus it's just the safer choice in this heavy vehicle.
Love the interior design & materials quality.
Seats are comfy, and fabric is very nice.
I also appreciate all of the storage compartments in the car.
"Tumble & Fold" 2nd row seats make accessing the 3rd row easy (unless you have child seats installed).
Even the base stereo interface is nice, with a 4.3-inch touchscreen.
Some competitors do not offer a screen as standard.

Suggested Improvements

As noted in the Edmunds review, the transmission could be better: It can get confused by certain speed transitions, sometimes downshifting too low or being generally unintuitive.
But it is smooth-shifting in normal driving, and the O/D puts you at about 1800 RPM at 70mph, which is impressive.
My SXT could be improved by the packages I DIDN'T get, namely the 8-inch Uconnect touchscreen, and built-in booster seats (both unavailable when I was shopping early in the model year).
I now seriously regret not holding-out for these.

† Edmunds.com received the highest numerical score in the proprietary J.D. Power 2014 Third-Party Automotive Website Evaluation Study℠. Results based on responses from 3,381 responses, measuring 14 companies and measures third-party automotive website usefulness among new and used vehicle shoppers. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of owners surveyed from January 2014. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.